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Robert Galasso accepted prosecutors’ offer of six years in prison, followed by three years of parole supervision, in exchange for today’s plea in Superior Court in Hackensack to one county of second-degree robbery.
A short time earlier, Galasso showed up in Presiding Superior Court Judge Liliania DeAvila-Silebbi’s for a trial date and agreed instead to accept the plea deal. However, when he was brought before Superior Court Jude Patrick Roma to enter the plea, he said he’d changed his mind and wanted to go to trial.
“What’s going on?” Roma asked. “I sent you to Judge Silebi for a trial date. You agreed to a plea. Now you’ve changed your mind again.
“I don’t understand.”
State public defender Seth Victor asked Roma for some time to confer with Galasso in the Hackensack courtroom. About 15 minutes or so later, he accepted the plea.
Roma set a June 28 sentencing date and said that Galasso would serve the time concurrently with a state prison term he’s serving for probation violations.
No sooner did the crystal-clear images of him holding up the bank appear than several police officers identified Galasso — who, three months short of his 20th birthday at the time, already had been in a heap of trouble.
Paramus police made the first call, and Lodi detectives immediately connected with their counteparts in Paterson, at the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office and at the FBI field office in West Paterson.
Jennifer Khalil
Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik said Galasso robbed the bank in an effort to raise bail money for girlfriend, Jennifer Khalil, who was being held on robbery charges at the time.
What he didn’t know is that most jail phone lines are tapped.
In less than three days, Galasso was arrested in less than three days at the Paterson apartment where he’d been staying.
Originally from Hasbrouck Heights, Galasso moved around quite a bit in just a few years, living in Hackensack, among other areas, with his pit bull, Sonny.
He was free on a combined bail of more than $70,000 after he was arrested Feb. 1, 2012 in Lyndhurst on charges of aggravated assault, hindering apprehension and weapons possession.
And that was while he was on parole.
Galasso was also wanted at the time on a warrant out of Passaic two weeks ago for driving while on the revoked list.
Two years ago, Galasso spent four months in the Bergen County Jail for having drugs and a gun, as well as for ducking parole. He also had a pair of active warrants out of Middlesex County at the time, records show.
Then, last May, he walked into the Essex Street bank, gave a teller a note demanding money and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Although no weapon was shown, he motioned to his waistband, Lodi Deputy Police Chief Vincent Quatrone said at the time.
PHOTO TOP: Robert Galasso, public defender Seth Victor (STORY / PHOTO: Mary K. Miraglia, CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter)
- Surveillance photos courtesy LODI PD
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